Turntable counter unit



March 17, 1953 L. WILLIAMS TURNTABLE COUNTER UNIT 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed March 16, 1951 INVENTOR.

WM. 4 MMs,

LEON

March 17, 1953 w TURNTABLE COUNTER UNIT 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed March 16, 1951 F/Ci 6.

OUTPUT M //5 INVENTOR 450w W4 4 was;

BY m wz mm/a'wm v mm A 7706 NEYS.

Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE .1 Claim.

This invention appertainsto improvements -in means for rotatable mounting billing machines and the like on store or othercounters.

The primary object of this inventionis to provide a rotatable counter top-support for a billing machine or the like, which support is rotatably mounted in a counter topand forms apart thereof, whereby the machine may be easily and conveniently moved from a position facing the clerk behind the counter to a position facing acustomer in front of the counter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a turntable for a receipt machine or the like, provided with means for releasably locking the turntable in position so that the machine is locked in a position facing a clerk behind the counter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a turntable for an electrically actuated receipt machine, the turntable enabling the machine to be rotated-to various positions on a counter top, electrical contacts being carried by the turntable and by the counter top which are engageable in only one position of the turntable, so that the machine can be actuated only when the turntable is in a predetermined position.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a counter top equipped with-a turntable for a billing or similar machine, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View, taken on line 4- .of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the latching assembly, taken on line 5-5 of Figure '1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view taken on line E-6 of Figure 5,-and,

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic View of the wiring arrangement for the contacts, carried by the turntable and the counter top.

This invention appertains generally toameans for rotatably mounting a billing or receipting machine on a counter top, so "that the machine may be easily rotated from a position facing a clerk behind the counter to a position facing a customer in front-of the counter. Thedevice is'adapted for any such machine but is: particularly designed and ;:pr0vided with'adjuncts for supporting an electrically operatedmachine, and particularlya receipt. machine, which is provided with an electrically operatedejector mechanism for ejecting -the receiptslips or tickets. To this end, fixed electrical "contacts are carried by the counter top and electrical contacts are carriedby the turntable, the "contacts being arranged to be brought into complementary engagement, only when the turntable .is in apredetermined position. When thercontactsare out of engagement, the ejector mechanism is rendered inoperative.

Referring now more ,particularly to the accompanying drawings, a portion ill of the top of a store counter has been illustrated and "the counter top is formed withrxa circular opening I2, within which a circular turntable plate 14 is positioned.

An annular trackway It is secured to the underside of the counter topanddepends therefrom around the opening [2. The trackway [6 includes an inverted circular-channel [8 which extends radially into the opening 12 and is connected by a lateral flange 28 to the lower edge ofa vertical flange '22. An annular-:flange.-24 having a peripherably octagonal outer edge ;extends laterally outwardly from the .upper edge of the-vertical flange 22 and isafiixed by headed fasteners 26170 the underside of the counter top A top plate 28 is superimposed on the-turntable plate I4 and disposedrfiushwith the counter top It, so that the turntable ,forms a partof the counter top. Anannular peripheral flange 3!! depends fromtheaperipheral edge oftthe turntable plate. 14. Mountingassembliesfl are spaced around the turntable and each includes an S- shaped bracket 34, whichis affixed to theunderside of the turntable plate M and depends therefrom. gRollers 36 are located'betwceencand are journaledv in the flange 39ofthetturntable-plate and the first averticahflange 3610f the s-shaped brackets, the rollers 36 being horizontally :arranged and rolling :on the upper surfaceof the web of the inverted channel 18. Vertically disposed'rollers 4c :are located :between and journaled in between the flower horizontal :flanges 42 and '44 of the brackets 34"and rollagainst the radially. inward sidewalliof the :channelv l 8.

IA rectangularpopening 4.6is1formed in: the. turntable :and :extends through-the ..top 28rrandithe plate I4 for'accommodating ;;a.conventiona1 receiptimachine :48, :means being provided :for detachably mounting the machine within the opening, so that the machine depends from the turntable, with the upper flange thereof engaged on the top 28. For retaining the machine in position, a pair of U-shaped straps 50 and 52 are provided and have their opposing legs afiixed to depending straps 54 and 56, which are formed in pairs and which depend from the turntable, adjacent to the opening 46. Elongated registered slots 58 are formed in the depending straps 54 and 5B and in the legs of the straps 50 and 52 and suitable fasteners 60 are disposed therethrough for adjustably securing the legs to the depending straps 54 and 56.

Means is cooperatively carried by the turntable and by the depending flange 22 of the trackway I6 for locking the turntable against free rotative movement. The manually actuatable latching means 62 includes a keeper plate 64, which is secured by means of headed fasteners 66 to the inner surface of the flange 22. The keeper plate 64 is formed at the center portion of its convex upper edge with a. notch 68, within which the outer end of a latch bolt 10 is engageable, as seen in Figure 5. The latch bolt 10 is pivotally mounted by a pivot I2 on a radial ear 14, which projects inwardly from the depending flange 30 of the turntable. The inner end I6 of the bolt is turned at right angles to the outer end thereof and to the pivot 72 and the lower end of a plunger I8 is secured thereto. The plunger 18 is slidably disposed through a sleeve 80, formed in the turntable and a stepped housing 32 is mounted in a suitable flanged opening 84 formed in the top 28 of the turntable. A spring 86 is secured to the pivot 12 and arranged around the outer end of the latch bolt I0 so as to normally urge or bias the latching end of the bolt I0 into engagement with the notch 68 formed in the keeper plate. Manual depression of the plunger 18, the upper end of which is disposed through the housing 82 and easily engaged by the finger of a clerk behind the counter releases the bolt 70 from the notch 68.

The receipt machine 48 is conventionally constructed and, as such, is equipped with an electrically actuated ejector mechanism, which functions to automatically eject the slips or receipts from the machine, after the transaction has been completely entered. Thus, means is provided and is operatively associated with the turntable for controlling the operation of the electrical ejector mechanism, so that the ejector mechanism can only function, when the turntable is in a predetermined position, preferably, with the machine facing the clerk or directed toward the rear of the counter.

In this respect, a pair of housings 86 and 88, formed of insulative material, are secured to the depending vertical flanges 90 of angle irons 92, which have their horizontal flanges riveted to the underside of the horizontal flange 44 of two of the S-shaped brackets 34. Conductors 94 and 96 are afiixed to contacts, which are secured in casings 86 and the contacts are in engagement with prongs 98 and I00, which extend outwardly from the casings. It will be noted, from a consideration of Figure 4, that the casings 86 and 88 are arranged so that they are in a definite angular relationship with the axis of rotation of the turntable and the relationship is predetermined, so that the circuit for the ejector mechanism will only be completed, when the turntable is in a definite 4 position, the position being illustrated in Figure 4.

Casings I02 and I04 are mounted by means of mounting straps I06 to the flange 22 and are arranged in a specific angular relationship, so that the casing 86 registers with the casing I02 and the casing 88 registers with the casing I04, when the latching bar 10 is engaged in the slot or notch in the keeper bar and the machine is facing a clerk, who is disposed behind the counter.

The conductors IIO, extending from a suitable source of electrical energy, are afiixed by screws II2 to a pair of fixed contacts. Vertically spaced horizontal slots H4 and H6 expose the fixed contacts and the slots are provided, so that the prongs 98. and I00 can slide therethrough and be in wiping engagement with the fixed contacts.

A switch H8 is mounted on the mounting flange 24 and is communicated by means of conductors I20 and I22 to the casing I04, so that operation of the switch is required for the completion of a circuit to the electrically controlled ejector mechanism of the register.

In use, the turntable is locked in a position by means of the latching mechanism 62, so that the register or other similar machine is facing a clerk, Who is disposed behind the counter. The clerk prepares the receipts and, in so doing, Writes upon the tickets in the register. The clerk can, after pressing the plunger 18, release the latching mechanism, so that the turntable can be rotated to bring the register into a position facing the customer, who can then sign his signature or add any other information to complete the recording of the transaction.

The turntable is then swung to its normal position, whereupon the locking bar is automatically biased into engagement of the notch 68 by the spring and the prongs carried by the casings 86 and 88 are in engagement with the contacts carried by the casings I02 and I04, so that the electrical circuit for the ejector mechanism is completed, upon the manual actuation of the associated switch.

Obviously, any type of recording machine or other business machine can be mounted in the turntable and the electrical circuits, which may be associated therewith, can be controlled in a manner similar to the controlling of the ejector mechanism for the register.

Accordingly, limitation is sought only in accordance with the appended claim.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

In combination, a counter top formed with a circular opening, an annular trackway concentric with said opening, said trackway comprising a first horizontal flange secured to the underside of the counter top, a vertical flange depending from said horizontal flange, a second horizontal flange on said vertical flange and spaced below said first horizontal flange, said second horizontal flange projecting radially inwardly into said opening and having a radially inward edge, a circular turntable plate positioned in said opening, said turntable plate having a depending peripheral flange located close to the radially inward side of said vertical flange in a position spaced radially outwardly from the radially inward edge of said second horizontal flange, said peripheral flange having a lower edge spaced above said second horizontal flange, guide assemblies secured to and depending from said turntable plate at circumferentially spaced intervals, said guide assemblies having upper vertical flanges spaced radially inwardly from said peripheral flange and vertically spaced lower horizontal flanges, horizontal rollers located between and journalled in the peripheral flange and the upper vertical flanges of the guide assemblies and rolling upon said second horizontal flange, and vertical rollers located between and journalled in said vertically spaced lower horizontal flanges of the guide assemblies and rolling against the radially inward edge of said second horizontal flange.

LEON WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Culveyhouse Jan. 12, 1869 Olsen Apr. 19, 1887 McMane et a1 Mar. 17, 1914 Fox Nov. 2, 1915 Samuel et a1. Mar. 29, 1921 Siegrist Oct. 23, 1928 Brown Mar. 12, 1929 Balster June 16, 1936 Davidson, Jr., et a1.-- Sept. 24, 1940 Rizzuto Dec. 24, 1940 Ahrens et al. July 2, 1946 Catron Oct. 26, 1948 Siebenkittel Oct. 31. 1950 

